Romancing the Spy

Every Tuesday, my best friend and I get together to watch spy movies, and I dream of a secret agent sweeping me off my feet. Imagine my surprise when a) one actually does, b) I don’t realize he’s a spy (even though “secret” is in the job title, so I should’ve seen that coming), and c) his mission is to protect me. For the record: I don’t need protecting. But if I did, Jace would be my top pick. I have more fun and feel more connected during the 10 minutes when he’s rescuing me from a blind date than I’ve had in the past several years of dating combined.

Here are three things that I know. 1) I’m an expert at reading body language, 2) I excel as an intelligence operative, and 3) Ledger Lancaster—daring, fearless, and recklessly charming—is my rival. Or enemy, depending on the day. What I didn’t realize from our first mission overlap a year and a half ago—a mission I thought Ledger was using to gain the upper hand only for me to beat him at his own game—was that his interest in me wasn’t an act. How could I have guessed?

I might like to hide behind a computer, but I’ve had enough experience helping intelligence operatives through missions that surely I can spy on my good-looking, intriguing, construction toolbelt-wearing new neighbor, Owen, without being seen. And it’s all going great(ish) until a water line breaks in my kitchen.